Diamond Announces December 2016’s Top Products. Marvel on Top Overall, But DC Challenges in a Mixed Month

Diamond Comic Distributors has announced the top products and publisher shares for December 2016. DC Entertainment’s Justice League vs. Suicide Squad #1 from Joshua Williamson and Jason Fabok was the best-selling comic book of December 2016, according to information provided by Diamond.

Marvel Comics was December’s top publisher with a 36.73% dollar share and a 40.50% unit share. That’s a slight dip in dollar share, about 1.35% points and an increase in unit share by 0.96% points. DC Entertainment was the month’s number two publisher with a 29.47% dollar share and a 29.04% unit share. DC also saw mixed results with their dollar share increasing 3.3% points, but the unit share decreasing by 2.26% points. At number three was Image Comics with an 8.81% dollar share and a 7.70% unit share. Image saw a down month with the dollar share decreasing 0.18% points and unit share decreasing 1.36% points. IDW Publishing was fourth with a 5.49% dollar share and a 4.10% unit share. IDW’s month was mixed with their dollar share increasing 0.26% percentage points and the unit share decreasing 0.49% points. Dark Horse Comics rounds out the top five with a 3.17% dollar share and 2.43% units share. Both of those are down from the previous month with dollar share down 0.58% points and unit shares down 0.42% points.

The top ten saw BOOM! Studios holding steady at #6, Dynamite Entertainment leaping from #9 last month to #7 this month, Titan Comics fell to #8, Valiant enters the top ten at #9, and Viz Media fell to #10.

Comic and graphic novel sales in December, a four shipping week month, declined by 9.69% from November, a five shipping week month, as well as by 14.84% from December 2015, also a five shipping week month. Despite the decline, comics and graphic novel sales on the year finished up 0.30% over 2015.

DC Entertainment had five titles in the top ten. In addition to Justice League vs. Suicide Squad, Frank Miller, Brian Azzarello, Andy Kubert, and Klaus Janson’s Dark Knight III: The Master Race #7 ranked #3; Tom King, Mikel Janin, and Hugo Petrus’ Batman #12 ranked #4; King and Janin’s Batman #13 ranked #5, and Scott Snyder, John Romita, Jr., and Danny Miki’s All-Star Batman #5 ranked #10. Marvel Comics also had five titles in the top ten: Charles Soule, Jeff Lemire, and Leinil Francis Yu’s Inhumans vs. X-Men #1 ranked #2; Brian Michael Bendis and David Marquez’s Civil War II #8, the final chapter of Marvel’s 2016 event, ranked #6; Jason Aaron and Salvador Larroca’s Star Wars #26 ranked #7; Kieron Gillen, Kev Walker, and Salvador Larroca’s Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #1, a new ongoing series spinning out of Star Wars: Darth Vader, ranked #8; and Mariko Tamaki and Nico Leon’s Hulk #1, a new series starring Jennifer Walters, ranked #9. Among the premier publishers, Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead #161 was Image Comics’ top book in December at #11. IDW Publishing’s top book was Batman/TMNT Adventures #2 at #65. Finally, Dark Horse Comics’ Serenity: No Power in the ‘Verse #3, based on Joss Whedon’s film Serenity, was their top book of the month at #112.

IDW Publishing’s Love is Love anthology, a tribute to the victims of the Pulse Nightclub shooting, produced with the assistance of DC Entertainment and featuring dozens of writers and artists, was December’s best-selling graphic novel. DC Entertainment had two titles in the top ten led by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s Batman Volume 9: Bloom at #2 for the month. Image Comics’ three titles in the top ten were led by Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen’s Descender Volume 3: Singularities at #3. Marvel Comics rounded out the top ten with four titles topped by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven’s Wolverine: Old Man Logan at #4.

Penguin Books’ Doctor Who: The Death Riders, a Doctor Who novel starring the eleventh Doctor for young readers, was December’s best-selling book and one of three Doctor Who novels from the publisher among the top ten. IDW Publishing’s The Princess Bride: A Storybook to Color, an adult coloring book based on the beloved film, ranked #3 for the month. Dark Horse Comics had three adult coloring books among the top ten, led by the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Adult Coloring Book at #4. Also in the top ten, Image Comics’ The Walking Dead Adult Coloring Book ranked #10 for the month.

DC Collectibles’ DC Designer Series: Harley Quinn by Bruce Timm Statue was December’s best-selling toy product and one of their nine products among the top ten. Also among the top ten, Diamond Select Toys’ Marvel Gallery: The Hulk PVC Figure ranked #2 for the month.

Diamond Select Toys’ Back to the Future Monopoly, a custom edition of the venerable board game, returned to the top of the sales charts as December’s best-selling game product. IDW Publishing had two products in the top ten, led by the Machi Koro Card Game at #2. Also in the top ten, Dark Horse Comics’ Game of Thrones Playing Cards, a decorative deck based on the hit HBO series, ranked #7 for the month.

Graphic Policy believes in journalistic integrity and transparency. We will disclose when a product has been given for free for review and/or when no cost has been incurred to the staff so that you may be able to make a fully informed decision as to the opinions provided.

When a product has been provided for free you will see disclosure at the bottom of the article. When such a disclosure does not exist, you can assume that the items have been purchased for review.

- The Management

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